Sources contacted by the Research Directorate identify the Ijaw title of "pere" as a denotation for a traditional ruler or king (Ijaw Youth Council 1 May 2001; Ijaw National Congress, USA 2 May 2001; Coordinator, African Studies Programme, York University 9 May 2001). Documentary sources also include references to the use of pere as an Ijaw title, e.g. the Pere of Seimbiri (Vanguard Daily 27 Sept. 2000; Xinhua 3 Aug. 1999; The News 25 Jan. 1999).

The following information was provided by the Secretary of the Ijaw Youth Congress:

The traditional title for the king of the Ijaws are called Pere, Amananaowei etc. It is the title of the highest traditional ruler in the Ijaw ethnic nationality all over Nigeria. It is a respectable position. ...

A son usually takes over from the father. Young or old, he is expected to take over the throne if the father dies. You enjoy the position by carrying out traditional practices (which are very cultural) but some sons these days consider it to be fetish and don't want to get involved. They get into problems this way with the elders of the community. You are expected to marry more than one wife. Which to some is also not acceptable by their moral standards [and] this also gets them into trouble (1 May 2001).

When asked about the consequences a person might face if they refused the title, the Secretary of the Ijaw National Congress claimed that "in most cases it is inherited by the eldest son of the pere. If he refuses he is hunted by the elders and which might lead most times to family disgrace and in most cases death" (ibid.).

The Research Directorate was unable to corroborate, within the sources consulted, the Secretary's claim that a person who refused the title of pere could be killed.

The Ijaw National Congress, USA

is involved in the struggle to achieve structural change and free the people of the Niger Delta, particularly the Ijaws, from decades of environmental pollution, corporate violence, unjust socio-economic structure and political oppression.

The Ijaw National Congress USA (INCUSA) is a grassroots organization whose membership includes persons and socio-cultural groups of Ijaw descent and is currently resident in the United States of America (2 May 2001).

According to the Secretary General of INCUSA:

Title of Pere is conferred on paramount chief/ruler/leader/chief priest of select Ijaw clans. It can connote king, leader or priest. Individual is held in high regard within his clan or town and conferred privileges commensurate with his responsibilities.

Ijaw nation/tribe comprise of approximately 63 clans and as such there is plurality in traditions. It is not unheard of that individuals inherit Pere title. Selection/adoption of a leader varies from clan to clan. Refusal of individual so honored could attract the wrath of the gods, spirit of our ancestors and disfavor of the community (2 May 2001).

The Coordinator, African Studies Programme at York University, who is "conducting research in the Western Delta in Nigeria on the creation of ethnicities in circumstances of conflict, property, resources management and development," wrote:

Pere means the person who is sovereign, or who is there to protect the sovereign rights of the people, and is akin to a king, although that is probably a historical exaggeration. Ijaws claim to have autonomously organised and governed themselves in naturally sovereign kingdoms and city-states, each of which is ruled by a king called "Pere" or Amanyanabo, and a council of elders and chiefs who reach the position through natural ascendancy. Thus the claim is that someone with that title is part of, or has their origins in kinship, and can claim to have a history of belonging to a "kingly" family (even if historically they have been overthrown by the council of elders who confirm authority on another Pere). Thus, someone with the title is likely to have some status in a particular Ijaw community. Over time the term has changed, as it is now a title of respect, and the term has now come to mean anyone of authority, but cannot be self-designated, and can easily be found out to be true or false. It is extremely unlikely that some one would refuse the title; indeed, what would [be] the reasons for doing do? I do not know one case of traditional ruler refusing a title, honorific or substantive. Still, the changing situation and circumstances and uses of tradition might well transform how it is used, although I do not know of any such instance (9 May 2001).

The Coordinator provided additional information during a 14 May 2001 telephone interview in which he identified himself as being of Nigerian origin and stated that his research interests concern the Western Delta region from which the Ijaw originate. He said that the Ijaw are not a homogenous group and that within the population of about 4 million people, there are many different practices. He explained that before the title of pere is conferred upon a person that person's suitability is evaluated. He said that "persons off the street" are not chosen as pere, but rather that there is some deliberation on the qualities of the person under consideration. As such, if there were something about the person which would be known to make them unsuitable, then they would not be offered the title. For example, if a person had been outspoken against traditional Ijaw practices, they would not be chosen as pere. When asked about the possibility of a non-polygamous Christian person becoming a pere, the Coordinator said that it was certainly possible as there was nothing associated with the title of pere that requires the person to take more than one wife. When asked about the consequences to a person for refusing the title, he said it would be "very unlikely" that the community would "come down on the person." He said the consequences could be shame to the family, or the person being "regaled or excluded from community decisions" but that such consequences "would not be dire." He expressed a strong opinion that a person would not be killed for refusing the title.

No mention of human sacrifices being performed in conjunction with this title, nor reports of persons being killed as a consequence of refusing the title, could be found among the sources consulted by the Research Directorate.

Response was prepared after researching publicly accessible information currently available to the Research Directorate within time constraints. This Response is not, and does not purport to be, conclusive as to the merit of any particular claim to refugee status or asylum. Please find below the list of additional sources consulted in researching this Information Request.

African Studies Programme, York University, Toronto. 9 May 2001. Correspondence from Coordinator.

_____. 14 May 2001. Telephone interview with Coordinator.

Ijaw National Congress, USA (INCUSA), New York, N.Y. 2 May 2001. Correspondence from Secretary General.

Ijaw Youth Council (IYC), Canada. 1 May 2001. Correspondence from Secretary.

The News [Lagos]. 25 January 1999. "Nigeria; Distrusting the Arbiter." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Vanguard Daily [Lagos]. 27 September 2000. Benjamin O. Okumagba. "Nigeria; Our Stand on Derivation Fund - Urhobos." (Africa News/NEXIS)

Xinhua News Agency. 3 August 1999. "5o Killed in Renewed Nigerian Ethnic Clash." (NEXIS)

IRB databases

LEXIS/NEXIS

REFWORLD

World News Connection (WNC)

Internet sites including:

American Anthropological Association

The Anthropological Index of the Royal Anthropological Institute

Centre for Social Anthropology and Computing (CSAC), University of Kent at Canterbury - CSAC Social Anthropology Bibliography

Council of Ijaw Associations Abroad (CIAA)

The Guardian [Lagos].

Ijaw Resource Centre

Post Express [Lagos].

U.K. Anthropology Theses Database

United Nations, Integrated Regional Information Network (IRIN).

Vanguard [Apapa].

Search engines including:

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